Metallic vehicle wheel



March 13, 1928.

J' R' WELCH METALLI C VEHICLE WHEEL Filed Dec. 3,4I 1923 INVENTOR:

Patented Mar. 13, 1928.

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE..

JOHN R. WELCH, DECEASED, LATE OF MUNCIE, INDIANA, BY VIOL M. WELCH, EX- ECUTRIX, OF MUNCIE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO VIOLA M. WELCH INDIVIDUALLY.

METALLIC VEHICLE WHEEL.

Application led December 14, i923. Serial No. 680,640.

wheel` rim or elly which Vshall have improved means for securing a demountable l5 rim thereto and permit the. rim to be quickly i and firmly secured in place by simple means.

A :turther object is to provide an improved reinforced sheet metal wheel rim or telly that shall be of such construct-ion as to stiften vthe side plates of the rim or telly, in such a manner that the stiii'ening means may advantageously serve to center a demountable rim on the rim of telly,` even though the demountable rim be slightly distorted and not. truly circular.

A still further object is to provide an improved metallic wheel rim or telly and devices for securing a demountable rim thereto, that shall be of such` construction as to stick tast to the wheel rim when removal ot the demountable rim is: desired, which rim or ltelly and attachments shall be of simple and inexpensive construction land such as to be durable and economical in use. y

WV ith the above-mentioned and other objects in View, the invention consists in a vehicle wheel having a novel rim or telly and means t'or detachably securing a demount 11.11 3 which iS e fragment-ry not be liable to cause a d'emountable rim tok able rim thereto; and, the invention con-V transverse section approximately yon the line' Fig. 5 is a viewsimilar to Fig. l but indi-V cating that parts of `the structure are integrally` connected together or intimately welded one. to another.

Similar reference. characters inthe various iigures of the drawings indicate correspondmg elements or features ot' construction herein referred to in detail. y

As illustrative. of the general nature oi the invention an automobile wheel of the spoke type is illustrated, and it comprises a hub l and a suitable number of spokes 2 connected to the hub and havingeach a tapered tenon 3 on its end, such being as hitherto constructed or may be of any desired construction as to details. y

The improved felly or rim proper of the wheel comprises a. circular body or band portion l provided with conical Vtrustums 5 pressed up on the outerportion thereof to kconstitute sockets to receive the spoke tenons when the band is in place onfthe spokes. The body or band portions has outwardly extending flanges on opposite edge portions thereof whichv constituteV side members or plates 6 and respectively, which are turned over each toward the other to `constitute stiff circumferential tread ribs 8 and 9 respectively, which. in some cases, are

further turned or rolled so as to extend inward towards the ortion 4 and also turn ther extend outwardly nearly to the side members, and in some eases the terminal or edge portions thereof have notches 10 and 11 respectively to receive portions of secur ingbolts, the notches preferably being ar-r ranged circumferentially in proximity `to the spoke sockets. The circumferential portions ot the tread ribs have recesses therein designed so that the side members 6 and' shall have seats 12 and 13 therein and the turned-over inner portions of the ribs shall have similar seats 12 and 13" respectively. The side members 6 and? have bolt holes 14 and 15 respectively. The `telly portion of the wheel is provided with a suitable linnn.7

ber ot' bridee bars 1G, each bar being arranged on the .seats t'orined in the recesses in the tread ribs, and practically tie the side members ot the Vl'clly together and stitt'en them where they are slightly weakened because of the bolt holes and the recesses cut therein. 'the outer portion ot cach bridge bar has a tapered tace 1T on which to slide a demountable rim. the thicker end of tbe bridge bar has a curved bead member 18 thereon against which to stop the dcmountable rini. the inner side of the bridge bar has a lug member lf) integral therewith and with a portion of the head member. and the luteIr member is fitted closely to tbe outer side ofthe side plate (3. the side member 6 represeating,r the inner side of the wheel as used on a vehicle. The brer member has a bolt hole Qt) therein that in alinement with tbe hole 14 and prelerably has :eci-ew threads Q1 therein. The lug member 19 essentially is rigidly fixed on the side member or plate G. to firmly secure the bridge bar in place and to prevent the demountable i'iin from forcing the bead member t8 trom its proper guide position relatively to tbc fclly. Pret'- erably the lug member lt) is secured to the side member 6 of the telly by means of rivets 22 and 22 on opposite sides of the, bolt hole, and preferably the lug member is further secured in place by being electrically welded to the side member. Securing bolts 23 are provided which are arranged in the holes 14 and l5. each bolt extending through the hole 20 and having screw threads :2l in engagement with the screw threads Q1, so that the bolt is lirmly secured to the telly and may have a nut or bead Q5 thereon whereby to lock the bolt in place. The bolt extends a suitable distance beyond the front. side plate 7 ol the telly and is provided with a nut QG. whereby to secure a. suitable wedge to tbe felly.

The bridge barsy l() have each a guide channel 27 therein extendingr from the end thereof that is connected to the outer side member T of tbe telly. in which a key 2S is seated and guided, the key having aV tapered portion Q9 on wnich is a bead member 30, and also a lug member 3l arranged on the bolt 223 and having a projectinj.r bearing member 232 that engages the outer side member adjacent to the body portion t of the fclly, for forcing a` deinountable rim to tbe heads 18. by means of' the nuts QG on the bolts. The deinountable rim may coniprise an annular body portion B3 having elinclicr flanges 3l and 35 thereon for holding a pneumatic or other tire 8G on the wheel.

As indicated in Fig. 5 the bridge bars are made practically integral with the side members or plates of the telly, bv electrie Welding or otherwise, the lugs li) being likewise permanently iixed to tbe. inner side member or plate (3 of the felly so as to etlectually prevent dislodginent otl the head member 1b.

ln practical use, a tire heini?r securial to a wheel by means ot a deinoiintable rim. as described. the deniountable rim is truly` centered and guided on the. telly by means of the heads 18 and 5() which embrace tbe op posite, sides of the demountable rim, whether the latter has relatively fixed or other clincber flanges or rings. The tapered faces of the bridge bars and the keys insure tight iittiiigr oi the demoiintable rim on the telly and do not present loiij.r or continuousv oiitact surfaces that tend to cause the rini to stick to the telly. .Vben change of tires is required or desired. the nuts .26 may be readily removed from the securing boltsv to permit removal oi' tbe keys QS and their lug members 251, to release. the deinountable rim which may be readily removed Afrom place on the bridge bars to be replaced by another. or to l` a again applied to the wheel as before..

lVbat is claimed as new is1- 1. A vehicle wheel telly having; two .side members provided with tread ribs respec tively, each rib havingl a plurality of iecesses therein, a plurality ot bridge bai-s .secured in the recesses reapectively ol' the two tread ribs7 each bar having' a guide channel therein and also a bead, and a plurality of keys removably arranged in the channels and having r heads thereon respectively, the keys being adjustable in tbe chaunels and having securing means.

2. A vehicle wheel having a metallic iellv portion comprising two opposite .side menibers. a plurality ot bridge bars haviii r each a lue' member permanently fixed to one ot' thelside members ot the telly portion and buyingr also a head member thereon. each bridge bar bein.;r permanently .seated on both of tbe side members of the fellii portion. and a plurality ol keys removabllv .secured to the bridge bars respectively. eac-li kev havine' a bead thereon. i

ln a vehicle wheel. the combination of a circular telly body portion and two opposite outwardly-extendin.2r side member flanges thereon. each flange having a turnedovcr tread rib thereon. each tiaiige havingr boltholcs therein, a plurality of bridge bare: having each a lug member and a stop bead on one end thereof, the bars having;r permanent connections with the two tread rib@y and the lug members having permanent fixed connections with the outer face of the rear one of said iianges, the lug ineinbers having screw-threaded bolt holes con timious with the bolt holes respectivelv in the Harige, a pluralityv of securing boltri airanged each in and extending through a bolt hole in each of the anges, each bolt flanges with keys to cooperate with the extending through the screw-threaded hole bridge bars respectively. in Jche lug member and having screw threads v In testimony whereof, I affix my signa- 20 engaging the threads in the hole, a nut on ture on the 15th day of November, 1923.

5 the bolt seated against the lug member, and VIOLA M. WELCH,

means to (zo-operate with the bolts Vto se- Eaeeoutrw of the last 'will of Jom R. eure lug members to the front one of said W elch, deceased. 

